Yeah, a celebrity's "likeness" is protected, so if they can prove there was intent to profit off the connection to them (i.e. not just an actress that happens to look like Audrey Hepburn, but you dress up to look like iconic Breakfast at Tiffany's Audrey Hepburn), the advertiser loses big time. There are lots of interesting cases about this if you google. Recently Kim Kardashian sued Old Navy for using a character in their ads that was very obviously supposed to harken back to her, Woody Allen sued American Apparel in the 80s for using a lookalike in one of their ads, and Vanna White even sued when someone used a robotic lookalike of her.

Psssssh, it's not terrible. Like most places, there are pluses and minuses. The real hard one is the heat, though. You really should try to visit when it's the hottest in summer, because if you can't take it, you will be miserable.

Hello, I'm an anglophile American who likes to lurk here. I think everyone's given you really valuable answers, but I also wanted to suggest you check out New Zealand. Their government website is great at helping you find out if you'd qualify for a visa, and at least from what I've read it's much easier to move there. Quite different from England, but same language and nationalized healthcare. :) Good luck!

Also, the most difficult part is entering the cave - very rocky, so be careful. I'm a klutzy adult and I stepped into a crevice and bruised my leg pretty bad. But otherwise the cave itself was a pretty tame in and out walk.

Little free libraries have no benefit to communities other than being fun and cute. If people like them, that's fine, but let them build them on their own dime. I'd rather my tax dollars go to bigger, long term projects that have a proven ROI for the community. That's what taxes are for.

Hooray for eliminating fines. Do you mind PMing me your library system and who to contact for more info on how you did it? I've been fighting for elimination of fines at my system since I got here and the best I've accomplished so far is automatic renewals. I would love to get rid of fines for kids and seniors!

Two examples that come to mind immediately: I know some libraries charge to check out newer materials; Anaheim Public Library was doing this back in 2009 but that's a long time and it might've changed. The Desert Foothills Library in Cave Creek, a mostly retirement aged community outside of Phoenix, charges for membership and is a member-supported library. They might also receive some portion of property taxes but I'm not sure. Still, they style themselves as a public library and they're pretty well loved by residents.

Not inaccurate. I stand by my point that many library people are insufferable and destroying the institution with shitty attitudes. And you are perfectly entitled to your opinion as well, I just think you're wrong, and I'm really glad most of my librarians of your ilk have retired.

While I applaud your passion for libraries, your energy is wasted on correcting someone on the Internet. Which is basically my point, as someone who has worked in libraries for fifteen years - there is a very large segment of librarians and library staff who spend more time correcting little slights against them and the "profession" than getting out of the building and doing good work. ALA ThinkTank on its worst days exemplifies this. I'm happy you care so much, I just wish all of us cared more about outreach and improving services than we did about being right. That does more to get people to support libraries than seeing a bunch of librarians fighting on the Internet.